FL FL - Melissa Sermons, 26, Lakeland, 3 May 1992

[OkieGranny]

Charley Project: http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/s/sermons_melissa.html

Sermons was last seen in Lakeland, Florida on May 3, 1992... That evening, she attended a rodeo in Dade City, Florida with 31-year-old Elwin Lawrence "Larry" Costine, Jr... The couple is believed to have gone to Costine's home at 4:15 a.m. Authorities determined that Sermons never returned to her own Lakeland residence. She has never been seen again...

Sermons and Costine's families both filed missing persons' reports with law enforcement when neither of them showed up for work the next day. Costine's nude body was discovered inside the bedroom of his unlocked trailer home in the 12600 block of Moore Road in Lakeland on May 5, 1992, two days after he and Sermons were last seen. He had been shot several times in the head and back...

In July 2013, authorities named Danny Cerezo as a suspect in the murder and Sermons's disappearance. He dated Sermons and they lived together for about a year, but she ended the relationship in April 1992 and moved out of his house. Cerezo kept in touch with her family and asked about her other relationships. The day before she disappeared, Sermons spoke to him on the phone and told him she was dating Costine now didn't want to see him.

Melissa is described as 5'10" tall and 175 pounds, with blonde hair and green eyes. Last seen wearing a black shirt, turquoise pants, white or gray boots, a horseshoe ring with diamonds, a rope chain, and a black watch.

Pic of Larrry Costine:

http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20130706/NEWS/307069994

A DeLand man is the suspect in the killing of a Lakeland rancher found shot to death in his mobile home 21 years ago, a Polk County sheriff's spokeswoman said.

Investigators in Polk County now believe they have physical evidence that ties Danny Cerezo to the murder of Lakeland rancher Larry Costine and the disappearance of Costine's girlfriend, Melissa Jo Sermons... "Melissa Jo Sermons has never been found and is believed to have been murdered as well," Wood said in an email.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20...1410?Title=Suspect-Indicted-On-Perjury-Charge

Danny Wayne Cerezo was arrested Thursday and is being held without bail at the Polk County Jail.

A grand jury in Polk County issued the indictment alleging Cerezo committed perjury during "an official proceeding that relates to the prosecution of a capital felony, to-wit: first-degree murder," the Sheriff's Office said Friday.

"The grand jury has found that Danny Wayne Cerezo lied to them during his testimony as the grand jury considered evidence and testimony regarding the first-degree-murder inquiry related to the murder of Larry Costine and the disappearance of Melissa Jo Sermons."

 

[neverletgo]

:bump:

Twenty two years later and Melissa's still missing.

 

[alb1on]

This seems to be a case where the facts are quite well established. What is very strange is that they have been known since at least 2007 but it took LE until 2013 to act (see http://z13.invisionfree.com/PorchlightUSA/ar/t6200.htm). Whilst I understand the need to obtain corroboration I cannot even find any evidence that LE took the story seriously until much later. Given the easily proven links between Cerezo and Sermons, and his record, this seems tardy in the extreme. Better late than never I suppose.

 

[Archangel85]

Still unsolved.

The case re-aired today on Unsolved Mysteries.

 

[Gardener1850]

Unidentified human remains found in Lakeland: http://www.dailyridge.com/en/2017/1...estigating-human-remains-found-off-combee-rd/

 

[Archangel85]

Unidentified human remains found in Lakeland: http://www.dailyridge.com/en/2017/1...estigating-human-remains-found-off-combee-rd/

That's pretty close from Moore Road. 26 minutes

 

[Gardener1850]

Unidentified human remains found in Lakeland: http://www.dailyridge.com/en/2017/1...estigating-human-remains-found-off-combee-rd/

Not Melissa. Identified as Richard Allen Compton: http://www.theledger.com/news/20171115/body-found-near-combee-road-idd-as-homeless-man-53

 

[CastlesBurning]

Photos: UPDATED: Can You Help? Polk County cold case murder files

 

[spartanx]

Melissa Jo Sermones disappeared after her new boyfriend, Larry Costine, was murdered...at the time, police believed she may have been responsible...however, her family and friends were certain they had both been murdered by Melissa's ex, who had allegedly been stalking her for weeks before the murder... a few years ago, her ex was arrested for lying to a grand jury in connection with this case... however, he has not been charged of the real murders and Melissa's body has never been found...finally I think that Melissa's ex-boyfriend had help from someone to make her disappear...in the unsolved mysteries segment Larry's ex-girlfriend or ex-wife says that he was so annoying that he bored people... I felt that she said it with resentment against him, maybe because of his new girlfriend or she really hated him... she could also be suspicious, I don't know...
either way
rest in peace